18
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE
to that ; I think we should have been able to
carry out such an arrangement if Syed Mejid
had lived, but owing to the death of Syed Mejid
and tlie change in the government, I cannot
answer so positively upon the subject.
233. Chairman.^ Without reference to the last
despatch, which has been the subject of discussion,
have you any doubt as to the hona fide
disposition of the Government of Bombay to put
an end to the slave trade as far as in them lies ?
— The Government of Bombay in all these
matters is very much under the direction of
the Viceroy in Council ; it is the Government of
India, and not the Government of Bombay, that
finally controls these proceedings, and it is from
the Government of India that we generally receive
our advices. The Bombay Government
report to the Government of India, and the
Government of Indici then send their views home
to us.
234. With respect to the liberated slaves, a
large proportion of them go to Bombay, do they
not ?—A large number of them go to Bombay ;
they are detained at Aden, and they are sent
thence to Bombay ; I came upon a letter the
other day, in which I found that in the course
of five years charges have been paid by the
Indian Government, and eventually paid by the
Treasury to the amount of 15,000 1. odd, nearly
16,000 1. for five years, for the maintenance and
support of those slaves ; so that they absolutely
pay upwards of 3,000 1. a year for maintaining
these captured slaves, besides, perhaps other expenses
upon the same account which I do not
know. But as far as I understand financial matters,
it seems to be a system of “ penny wise and
pound foolish ” ; the Imperial Exchequer seems
to be spending a great deal more money than it
need spend, because it will not look the matter
fairly in the face.
235. Sir Hny.'\ Is that 3,000/. a year the
charge for the maintenance of the depot at Aden,
or is it the whole charge for maintenance at
Bombay and Aden ?—It includes maintenance at
Bombay.
236. Mr. Kennaway. ] That is paid out of the
Imperial Exchequer ?—The Indian Government
pay the money, and then we recover it from the
Imperial Exchequer.
237. Cliairman7\ "What becomes of those liberated
slaves after they reach Bombay?—I am not
able to say what becomes of them. The details
of the slave trade are under the cognizance of
the Foreign Office ; they only come incidentally
before me.
238. What is your opinion as to the prospect
of increased trade arising between Zanzibar and
Bombay ?■—I think, to a certain extent, that has
been answered by the figures to which I referred
showing the continued increase of imports at
Zanzibar. I think, from the progressive increase
shown in the last five or six years, the prospects
are exceedingly good, and that there will be a
still greater trade. A sudden stoppage of the
importation of slaves into the island of Zanzibar
would seriously affect the industrial position of
the country, and therefore it would be very disadvantageous
to disturb it suddenly, unless we were
prepared at the same time with a scheme of free
immigration.
239. Lord Enfield~\ There has been a great
saving annually on the Slave Trade Vote by the
abolition of mixed commission courts, has there
not?—Yes.
240. That has been so much gain to the Exchequer
?—Yes, that is one of the points we
considered in our Report Mr. Rothery will give
you the details, if he is examined.
241. In the summary of your suggestions these
words occur : “ Our views are to urge upon the
Sultan the ultimate abolition of the legal slave
traffic, and of the export of slaves from the mainland
can you fix any date by which, supposing
those suggestions to be carried out, and supposing
there to be no financial difficulties in the way, we
could look forward to the ultimate abolition of
the traffic in slaves ?—I think that w^as a point
considered by the Slave Trade Committee; I ain
not competent to give an opinion from my own
knowledge ; but it would not be desirable to stop
the trade immediately, because it might throw the
affairs of Zanzibar into some embarrassment.
242. Chairman^] Summing up your evidence,
it is practically a question of 1,500 /. a year ?—
Yes, in its immediate aspects.
243. If the Treasury w ere to advance 1,500 A
a year, in all probability w^e should live to see
the ultimate abolition of the slave trade on the
east coast of Africa ?—I think we should ; but at
the same time the Committee must thoroughly
understand that this 1,500/. a year is only* the
amount to be paid to the agency, that is to say,
the European officers and their staff; but the
question is, whether we can stop the east coast
of Africa slave trade without paying, for a ceu
tain number of years, a sum of money to thi
Sultan of Zanzibar. M e cannot expect him to
forego a part of his revenue without giving hint
something in return for it. His continuing the
slave trade is based solely on the ground^ that
he cannot maintain his government without the
amount of revenue which he receives from the
duty on slaves, just as we uphold in India what
we all know to be wrong, viz., the opiuiö
monopoly and the salt monopoly, and othei
things; our only argument is, that we cannot
carry on the Government without them ; the
Sultan of Zanzibar says he cannot carry on hi?
Government without this tax upon slaves, and f
think it is a great question whether the sum he
receives from it, or a portion of the sum he re'
ceives from it, should not be paid in some way oí
other to him by the Government.
244. Mr. Crum-Ewing.~] Would you pay him all
the tax he derives from the slaves, or the sum he
pays to the Imaum of Muscat ?—It is stated iu
the Report that he receives 20,000 /. as the taS
upon slaves, whereas the sum which he pays the
Imaum of Muscat is 8,000 /. ; but I think we
must lay it down as a certainty that we must
give him some bonus or compensation. It woiilJ
be a matter for consideration what that should
be.
245. Chairman.'] For carrying out his treaty,
in point of fact ?■ Yes ; it was most strongly re'
commended a number of years ago by Sir George
Clerk, when Governor of Bombay. He says,
^ The British Government must be prepared to
support the Sultan by its ships and by its money*
The strengthening of the Cape fleet, and the
frequent extension of its surveillance to Zanzibar
and the adjacent African coast ; the stationino- oi
gun boats at Zanzibar, and the grant of compensation
to the Sultan for the revenue he will
sacrifice, are measures which it would be presumptuous
in this Government to advocate. The
honourable the Governor in Council cannot for
a moment doubt that if the horrors described by
an
